With an aggressively forward-raked radar
arch and a fabulous sweep of stainless-steel
windscreen frame, the 43 looks awesomeThe late 1990s was the time of the
Superhawk 41 and the early 2000s
saw the popular Superhawk 34
immortalised on screen in the most
exciting James Bond boat chase
ever, tearing up the River Thames
in the pre-title sequence of 1999’s
The World is not Enough. The Hawk
heritage finally died almost a decade
ago with the boat you see here, but
what a swansong it makes. Launched
in 2006 at the Southampton Boat
Show, the Superhawk 43 was
positioned at the front of the stand
and finished in an eye-popping
black and gold spraypainted livery.TURNED UP TO ELEVEN
David Jones of Sunseeker Sales
in Poole is showing me around a
couple of examples he has for sale.
Seventeen years with the company,he was at the launch and remembers
it well. “That custom paintjob on the
show boat was actually an optional
extra that we offered customers.
We also offered a spectacular silver
metal flake with either green, red or
blue mixed in. It was a hugely labour-
intensive job, about 1,000 man-hours.
The metal flake had to be mixed into
the paint as it was being sprayed on
to the boat, otherwise there was
a risk that the flakes would settle.”
Which explains the cost – a massive
£62,000! It also explains why it’s
a very rare option.
But frankly, the boat doesn’t need
it because the Superhawk 43 looks
absolutely awesome anyway! Long,
low and lithe with a twin-stepped
hull, aggressively forward-raked
radar arch and a fabulous sweep
of stainless-steel windscreen frame,The underwater hull design of the Superhawk 43 followed
the lines of the Sportfisher 37 and XS 2000. These models
are (as far as I am aware) the only Sunseekers to employ
stepped-hull sections, which reduce drag for additional
speed whilst adding strength to the hull. Hence, it is rare to find any
underwater stress cracking on these hulls and I have never found hull
moisture a problem, so no osmotic blistering.
However, these are performance boats and are unlikely to have lived a
quiet life, so the stresses and strains of seakeeping usually take their toll on
that substantial radar arch, where gelcoat stress cracking can be extensive.
Machinery wise, various options were offered in twin and triple-engine
form. I would go for the Yanmar/Trimax (Sunseekers own surface drives)
which have proved pretty bulletproof on all variations of the Superhawks
while the D series Volvo versions have more maintenance-hungry
sterndrives and sacrificial intercoolers, as well as potential prop problems.
The all-stainless Trimax drives were a short-lived but excellent product
and worked beautifully with the Yanmar two-speed gearboxes. The Arneson
drives deliver impressive performance but are trickier to drive and
maintain, so make sure you know what you’re taking on and get an expert
to check their condition. Give yourself plenty of time to look after your
engines as they’re a shoehorn fit! Tony McGrail, Yacht Surveyor
Tel: +44 (0)7711 329314. Web: http://www.superyachtsurveys.comCANOPY TRACK
There is a plastic channel that runs
beneath the windscreen rail for the
cockpit canopy (not the flat tonneau)
to slide into that can perish with age.
The part is cheap but it’s labour
intensive so expensive to repairGEL CRACKING
Cockpit mouldings and
the radar arch can be
prone to stress cracksINTERIOR WOODWORK
The interior woodwork is prone
to fading, even on boats kept
out of the sun. Re-lacquering
is one option, an interior wrap
may be a cheaper alternativeYAMAHA TURBOS
Over-revving of outer Yamaha
engines can shorten turbo life.
Engine checks and good service
history is advisable on all
versions, but particularly theseHELM POSITION
The fixed helm is quite close to
the steering wheel and can be a
tight squeeze for the more ample
of girth. Check that you fit!SURVEYOR SAYS
96USEDB OAT BOAT MASTER